Growing Local

Why would a retired nurse start a goat farm and creamery? Hear how an agricultural project with her granddaughter changed Donna Gains' way of life. Go to High Mountain Meadows Farm and Creamery's Facebook page for updates on her farm party. www.facebook.com/HighMountainMeadowsFarm/ Photo by Sarah Jones Decker

Fresh flowers feed the soul, but where do they come from? Imported flowers are ubiquitous at florists and grocery stores, but there’s a growing movement of local farmers who cultivate blooms that thrive in the Southern Appalachian mountains. Listen as Niki Irving of Flourish Flower Farm in Candler, North Carolina harvests poppies, and hear Katie Grear of Lady Luck Flower Farm talk about why local farmers are digging into flowers.

Craft beer isn’t the only thing on Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s menu. The taproom chef works with 17 Appalachian Grown farms to source some of the restaurant's vegetables, meat, and cheeses. Hear how Chef Jessie Massie tracks down local ingredients and find out why Daniel Price of Freedom Farm grows produce for the restaurant.

Western North Carolina’s farming traditions stretch back for generations, but the local food movement was a new concept in the early 2000s. Walter Harrill, owner of Imladris Farm in Fairview, North Carolina, was a pioneer during the early days. He reflects on how the movement has grown, and ASAP’s Charlie Jackson weighs in on what’s next for the local food community. Learn more about the evolution of local food in WNC and ASAP’s Local Food Research Center: http://asapconnections.org/local-food-research-center/

Volunteering at a farm, community garden, or local food event is a great way to feel connected and use your strengths to improve the local food system. Here are some opportunities in Western North Carolina. Area farmers markets: http://asapconnections.org/support-local-food-movement/volunteer/ ASAP’s Farm Tour: http://asapconnections.org/events/asaps-farm-tour/volunteer-for-the-tour/ The Lord’s Acre in Fairview: http://thelordsacre.org/ WNC Alliance for Gardens That Give: http://thelordsacre.org/what-we-do/community/the-western-nc-alliance-for-gardens-that-give/ School gardens: Call a school near you to inquire about helping in their garden. Or use these lesson plans to inspire your children and their friends. http://growing-minds.org/garden-lesson-plans/

Want to learn about farms in the Southern Appalachians and the stories behind your food? ASAP’s 2017 Local Food Guide is hot off the presses and available at locations throughout the region. Find pick-up locations or search the online guide at www.appalachiangrown.org

Kids love kale when it's prepared with care. Join Biltmore chef Kirk Fiore for a local food taste test at North Buncombe Elementary.

Southern Appalachian families scour the forests to dig up wild ginseng roots each fall. Although the roots can be exported to Asia for as much as $1,300 per pound, new research indicates that WNC business are interested in buying locally-grown ginseng cultivated by commercial farmers in Western North Carolina.

Spring is the perfect time to plant a school garden, but where to begin? ASAP and Sow True Seeds are working together to provide free seeds to schools in the Appalachian Grown region. Teachers, parent volunteers, and garden coordinators can stop by the ASAP office in Asheville to pick up seeds or call (828) 236-1282. Find lesson plans for grades preK-12 at www.growing-minds.org

It’s officially spring in the mountains and farmers are hard at work. In between preparing fields, planting seeds, and welcoming baby animals onto the farm, many farmers are also getting spring produce ready for market. A big change is happening to the Asheville City Market. Starting this Saturday, April 1, 2017, the market is moving to North Market Street. The road will be closed between Woodfin and East Walnut Streets so locals and visitors can enjoy farm-fresh food and products in an open-air setting with "street fair" flair. Look for the opening dates of farmers markets throughout the region at www.asapconnections.org And keep up with what’s fresh each week at www.fromhere.org

Farmer Daniel Wall and business partner Jon Mercer come from different backgrounds, but together with their young families, they’ve started a livestock farm that promotes their shared commitment to sustainable agriculture. Learn more about Highlands Family Farm in Burke County, North Carolina at www.highlandsfamilyfarm.com

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)lets community members agree upfront to a season’s worth of food, and receive a box of produce, meat, or flowers from a local farm each week in return. Find out some of the factors to consider when choosing a CSA in this podcast, and learn more about what farmers have to offer at ASAP's CSA Fair. It be held Thursday, March 16 at Jubilee! in downtown Asheville, North Carolina. Details at www.asapconnections.org

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an easy and exciting way to add more farm-fresh food to your diet. Customers agree upfront to a season's worth of vegetables, meat, or flowers and receive a box of food each week in return. Learn more about how Community Supported Agriculture works and meet farmers who offer CSA shares in the Asheville area at ASAP's CSA Fair on March 16. More info: http://asapconnections.org/events/csa-fair/

There's more to farming than planting and harvesting; a thriving farm needs a strong business plan. Paige Witherington and Justin Dansby from Pitch Pine Farm in Penrose, North Carolina focus on business during the winter months, including preparing documents for organic certification and developing a five-year plan for the farm. There are several resources for local farmers, including ASAP's Business of Farming conference on Saturday, Feb. 25. Find out more at: www.asapconnections.org

Winter farmers markets are expanding in Western North Carolina. ASAP tracks venues for local food (including farmers markets) in its Local Food Guide. In 2003 there was one year-round market, but today there are eight winter markets throughout the region, including Spruce Pine, Franklin, and Columbus. Why are there more winter markets here than ever before? Innovative farmers are finding new ways to extend the growing season.

Western North Carolina was the home of a local honey advocate. The late Laurey Masterton was a beekeeper who shared her love of honey with students through ASAP's Growing Minds Farm to School program. She also hosted the early years of the International Black Jar Honey Contest at her cafe. The Center for Honeybee Research will present the 2017 contest in Asheville this weekend. More info: www.chbr.org Farm to School activities about honeybees can be found at www.growing-minds.org

JB Farm in Caldwell County, North Carolina has changed dramatically over the past five years. Farmers Paula and Dale Boles were contract chicken producers raising broilers for one of the biggest poultry companies in the country. It was exhausting work and they knew they needed a change. So they broke their contract, repurposed their chicken houses, and found independence through produce.

Winter is a time when farmers look back on the growing season and plan ahead for the coming year. Mountain Harvest Organics, a vegetable farm near Hot Springs, asked themselves and the community three questions over Instagram to inspire their planning process. Click play to hear their answers. Want to hear more from farmers during the quiet months? Search for #appalachiangrown on Instagram and Twitter and go to the ASAP Facebook page to learn what farmers are up to this winter.

A Granny Smith apple can travel over 8,000 miles to get from New Zealand to North Carolina. Yet a Gold Rush apple grown in Henderson County might only travel a dozen miles between orchard and lunch box. Why make a local choice? Fresher produce that strengthens the local food system. Find local orchards, farmers markets, and more at www.AppalachianGrown.org — ASAP’s online Local Food Guide.

The beauty of the Western North Carolina landscape is inspiring, and small farms are helping protect it. From diversified vegetable farms in Buncombe County to Christmas tree farms in the High Country, working farms are preserving the rural landscape and building an economy that supports farm businesses.